The Michigan Wolverines have bounced back with three consecutive victories following their crushing defeat against Texas.
However, their close calls against teams from major conferences have raised concerns, and FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt suggests that the squad is struggling to establish its identity.
In the latest episode of the Joel Klatt Show, Klatt remarked that Michigan appears “lost” at the moment. He attributes this confusion to their ineffective passing game, which has hindered their overall performance.
“Michigan looks lost right now. This is not anywhere close to the teams that we have seen over the last three years,” Klatt said. “Now, they want it to be similar, and the difference is that I just don’t sense that they have a real deep understanding of who they are.
“This Michigan team in the first half against Minnesota looked very good. The entire game against Texas, looked totally lost. There were so many mistakes in the passing game, too many turnovers, and then they went to Alex Orji and there’s just no passing game to speak of.
“They get up big on both USC and then Minnesota in the first half, and then they totally fall apart with an inability to move the ball offensively in the second half. They allow the opposition to get back in the game.
“They have lost some of that Michigan identity, which means that they don’t have a blueprint to follow like they did in previous years, and there’s no margin for error. If they’re not perfect, then all of a sudden they can be beat, and they can be beat in a hurry.
“So the rest of the year now, what Michigan is going to have to deal with is the fact that if they’re not perfect, they will be vulnerable to be beat.”
Klatt is not alone with his harsh criticism of Michigan.
Having said that, most people realized this was going to be a transition year in Ann Arbor. After all, it’s nearly impossible to replace vital figures such as Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy overnight.
One Michigan alum who is seeking to help ensure the program doesn’t fall on dark times is none other than Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
Portnoy is stepping up to ensure his beloved Wolverines remain competitive in the rapidly evolving world of NIL and the transfer portal which has become a necessary evil for many.
In particular, Portnoy wants to make sure Michigan has an elite quarterback on the roster each and every season.
Portnoy expressed his frustration with the Wolverines’ recent struggles in the passing game, prompting his offer to fund a major NIL deal.
He emphasized that his aim is to secure a top-10 quarterback either from the high school ranks or via the transfer portal.
“Michigan, I will be your quarterback guy,” Portnoy said on the Barstool Pick ‘Em Podcast. “I’ll talk to Sherrone [Moore], ‘Who do you guys want? Who’s in there?’ Give me a group. I’ll go sign them. $1 million. $2 million. Whatever it is…$3 million.
“I can get a quarterback. We don’t have a quarterback. If I don’t get the number one … I’m gonna get us a top 10 quarterback in the portal coming out every year. Top 10 quarterback and then here’s a little bit of the issue. You’ll have to find something else because they’re doing a weekly spot on Pardon My Take.
“My guy, not your guy, my guy. That’s already been taken. So, you’re gonna have to find something else for the Wisconsin guy. But college football recap, a college football hit. So, there’s two things. $3 million marketing agreement. I think that’s legal.”
“My problem with the NIL, besides it’s a lot of money just to kind of throw out the window, but I’m willing to, like do it,” Portnoy added. “I do not want to talk to other people. I don’t want to — I am not trying to get in the middle of the NIL, I do not want people I don’t know calling me, I don’t want to talk to this guy. I don’t want emails from that guy. I don’t want any of that.
“I had Daniella, my assistant, ‘Someone at Michigan wants…,’ no. I don’t want to talk to any of you. I talked to Sherrone [Moore]. I talked to him. I have his number, we talked. He told me the one guy I got to talk to. One guy to talk to, I’ve not talked to that person. I will, and then we’ll see.”
The pledge, which Portnoy estimates could be worth up to $3 million annually, would also come with a marketing agreement, something he believes is “legal” within the current NIL landscape.
The offer comes as Michigan continues to face challenges with consistency in their offensive play, particularly in the passing game, making the recruitment of elite quarterbacks even more critical.
However, there’s a potential snag in Portnoy’s plan: he has no interest in working through certain Michigan-affiliated NIL collectives.
“But I’m not going to, like, I’ve said this, the collective,” Portnoy continued. “There’s a company involved in the Michigan collective that I f*cking hate. And I had a bad experience with Barstool with them. I will not associate with this company ever, so that almost — they’re out.
“So, I gotta see. And I don’t want middlemen. I don’t want any of it. I want the quarterback’s cell phone number, just because it’s like we got to schedule when we’re doing our things at Barstool. That’s it. So we’ll see.”
While the logistics of the plan still need to be worked out, one thing is certain: if Portnoy’s $3 million NIL commitment becomes a reality, it could be a game-changer for the program.
Landing an elite quarterback each year through such significant funding would instantly boost Michigan’s competitiveness in both recruiting and on the field.
What are your thoughts on Portnoy’s plan? … If he follows through on it, do you think we’ll see a lot of copycats doing the same exact thing for other programs across the country?
At what point does this whole thing get a tad ridiculous? … Or are we already there???